Trying to save a YouTube video

Today I filmed a YouTube video. I was very tired and was trying to get the video done quickly. During the shoot, I was interrupted. I had to disconnect my microphone. When I resumed filming, I must not have plugged in the microphone.

When I was editing the video, I was very upset one segment of the film had poor audio. The computer microphone recorded instead of the external microphone. The audio has an echo and is hard to understand. I could leave it as is, but since it is the introduction to my video, I decided to re-shoot the segment.

I carefully re-set up my camera to film. I hurriedly filmed the section. I was very tired and just wanted to be done filming.

A while later, I was editing the clips. I realized when I re-shot the introduction segment, I was talking really fast. I was really upset since this the introduction to my video. In desperation, I searched my editing program. I found a way to slow down the speed of my video clips. I slowed down my introduction to 95% of the original speed. Behold, my speech no longer sounded fast. I was thanking and praising God! I do not have to re-shot this section of my video again.

I quickly finished editing my video and saved the final version. I am so happy my video is finished. I am also grateful I learned a new skill on my editing program. Hallelujah my video is done!

 

Hoping for a great birthday present!

It’s another year, and my mom is another year older. This year, though, things have not been a cake walk. The worldwide closures have cancelled most my mom’s trips to various places around the world. She had incredible adventures planned, all of which were scrubbed one after another as countries continued to keep their doors closed to travelers. My mom found other activities to do and tried her best to keep herself busy.

In January, her neck started bothering her. She has had neck and back issues in the past. Over 40 years ago, she had a fusion in her spine. It seemed as though the pain was right above the fused vertebrae. She tried and tried to get in to see her doctor. It was a long arduous process to see her primary care physician. Then she needed to be referred to a specialist.

The process dragged on and on. Her pain grew worse and worse. She started having significant muscle weakness in her arms and shooting pains down her legs. After doing her own research, she found another doctor halfway across the country who is very knowledgeable about the neck. She was able to see the doctor. He informed my mom her neck is a mess. There are several things wrong with it. She needs surgery and needs surgery soon.

The surgery is scheduled for next week, but a big hurdle has to be cleared: insurance approval. The days are ticking down, but her insurance company has not given the green light. We are all impatiently waiting for the insurance company to make a decision. If my mom does not get this surgery and get the surgery soon, her symptoms will become permanent. Her spinal cord is being compressed. If the neck continues to degenerate, the spinal cord will be damaged.

So, this year for my mom’s birthday, if you could take time and pray for my mom’s surgery to be approved and for the surgery to resolve her neck issues, I would ever be so grateful. Thank you and Happy Birthday Mom!

YouTube Side Effect: Emotional Burnout

Since starting my YouTube channel, people have contacted me from time to time desiring information or guidance about tracheostomies and ventilators. Some individuals have wanted emotional support. I am always honored someone feels I may be able to provide some assistance to them. I help as much as I can. After a few messages or emails, the communication dies out.

Of late, the number of requests has dramatically increased. I am shocked so many people have urgent questions and medical needs. I spend a lot of time crafting my words. I know most of the people are in a fragile emotional state. I try not to say anything which may offend them. I try to stay neutral and always direct the person back to their medical team.

It is very difficult to tease out the questions which may be asked. The person may ask one thing, but in reality, the person has a question on something else. Or, as has frequently been the case, the person does not like the direction the medical team is going and wants me to chime in and tell the person he/she is right and the medical team is wrong.

It is emotionally exhausting for me to read heart-wrenching medical stories. I find myself crying as I read the words written by the patient or caregiver. I should not care about strangers I have never met, but I do. I also spend time praying and petitioning God for His help.

After spending far too many hours answering questions and assuring people their medical team are the best people to ask regarding their medical questions or concerns, I am burned out. I now understand why many people on YouTube put up fences. They do not get involved in other people’s lives. They do not respond to all inquiries from their YouTube viewers. They limit the amount of time and energy they dedicate to their YouTube viewers. As my channel continues to grow, I think I will also have to set boundaries. How this is to be done, I still have to figure out the details. But for now, I am taking a few days away from responding to people in an effort to rest and restore some of my energy. I am emotionally drained.

Appointment scheduled, but when it will be is a mystery

I had a an appointment to my pulmonologist a few weeks ago. Unfortunately, I was hospitalized during the appointment and had to cancel. I have called the office a few times, but no one has answered the phone. Finally, today, someone picked up the phone. I said I needed to schedule an appointment. I was placed on hold for almost 10 minutes.

When the receptionist returned, she had a hard time hearing me. Scheduling the appointment went as follows:

Receptionist: Do you want morning or afternoon?
Me: Afternoon. Can I do a telemedicine appointment.
Receptionist: I can’t hear you.
I scream: CAN I DO A TELEMEDICINE APPOINTMENT?
Receptionist: No. The provider will not be in the office.
Me: Ok. Well, is there a day the provider will be in the office so I can do a telemedicine appointment?
Receptionist: Oh, I guess it is telemedicine. The provider doesn’t need to be here in the office.
Receptionist: Is one o’clock ok?
Me: Yes. But what day is the appointment going to be?
Receptionist: Hello?
Me: WHAT DATE IS THE APPOINTMENT GOING TO BE? ONE O’CLOCK ON WHAT DAY?
Receptionist: Hangs up the phone!

Well, I have an appointment to see my pulmonologist. I just have no idea what day the appointment will be. The office does not call to remind you of telemedicine appointments and usually the telemedicine appointments run very behind. I have been called after 7 p.m. from the office to do a telemedicine appointment.

So sometime in the next few weeks between 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. I have a telemedicine appointment with my pulmonologist.

Long Day: Lungs burning, Head spinning. Bruised arm.

I lie on my bed, huffing and puffing. My body is exhausted. My lungs burn and are heavy with mucus. Today was a long day. I had to travel 45 minutes to the lab to have my blood work drawn for my TPN. While driving, I got a call from my doctor’s office stating I was to come in to their office to have some lab work done.

First, we attempted the lab. The lab was PACKED with people. I sighed and remembered it was a holiday yesterday. The usual heavy load of Mondays has been pushed to today. Then add in the Tuesday lab work and also lab work needing to be done because it is the first of the month, and the lab was busting at the seems with people. I abandoned the lab and went to my doctor’s office.

The nurse at the doctor’s office had to do two different blood draws. She got my vein the first time for the first blood draw. During the second blood draw, she missed and blew the vein. The third vein she missed, but she was able to re-adjust the needle several times (damaging the blood vessel), but in the end she was able to get blood. I prayed during the blood drawing ceremony that the nurse did not bust my beautiful big vein in the fold of my right arm. That is the vein they use at the lab for my weekly blood draws. My left arm is out of commission due to my PICC line. Praise God, the big vein the nurse was able to get on the first try. It was still viable to be poked again for another blood draw at the lab.

When we returned to the lab, I nearly leaped for joy when I saw the waiting room was empty. I signed in and was quickly taken back to a room. The lab tech used my big beautiful vein on my right arm. Pain shot up my arm as the needle went in. My poor arm was so sore and bruised. The lab tech collected the two vials of blood, and then I was out the door.

Now, I am home lying in bed. I am out of energy. My head throbs and spins. My lungs burn with each breath. I praise God this day went so well. I can lie here in my bed until my next big outing next week when I get to travel to the lab and get another weekly blood draw for my TPN. Hopefully by next week, the veins in my right arm will have had time to heal. Hopefully next week, I will only need to be poked once.